The present invention broadly relates to product handling equipment and, more particularly, is directed to a new and improved construction of a transport apparatus for printed products or the like which arrive in an imbricated or so-called "fish scale" arrangement, the transport apparatus comprising grippers anchored in spaced relationship from one another at a revolving traction or tension element, these grippers serving to engage the leading edges of the printed products and for the transfer thereof in order to permit the further conveying or transport of such engaged printed products, and wherein at the transfer zone or region the conveyor track or path of the imbricated product stream and a guide for the grippers extend towards one another.
It is to be understood that in the context of this disclosure the term "fish scale" arrangement as employed in conjunction with the printed products is intended to mean an arrangement of typically flat structures which are disposed in an overlying spread stacked formation, in other words, in the manner of a fanned deck of cards. Also the term "printed products" is used in its broader sense as relating to various type of structures capable of being handled with the transport or conveying apparatus of the development, there being specifically mentioned, by way of example and not limitation, newspapers, periodicals, magazines and so forth.